The Last Marauder
by ptcheerleading26
Summary: Remus Lupin remembers all his friends who have passed on as he prepares himself for The Battle of Hogwarts. Rated T just because. Image from Rotten Tomatoes.


**This is my first fanfic so please be nice! There are a couple of years in the story that I was not sure were correct. Like I am not sure how long ago Remus was at Hogwarts or how old he was so if anyone knows please let me know! Thank you!**

**Disclaim: I do not own Harry Potter; all rights go to J.K. Rowling**

Remus Lupin looked over the balcony of the North Tower at Voldemort's army approaching Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He could hardly believe it had been almost twenty years since he had been running around the school causing mischief with his three best friends. Those wonderful years at Hogwarts had been the happiest of his life. But so much had changed since then, Remus thought with a twinge in his heart. So many horrible, unthinkable things had happened. Who would have thought Remus Lupin would be the last Marauder and he was only in his 40s.

His best friends had all passed leaving him alone, and though his beautiful wife Nymphadora and his newborn son Teddy had made him incredibly happy and he loved her more than anything in the world, he still had a decent sized hole that had been left in him when his friends had gone. No one from Hogwarts would have guessed that in twenty years three out of the four Marauders would be dead. Two dying cruel and untimely deaths, while the other would turn traitor – betraying and causing the death of one of his so called "best friends".

Lupin thought about James Potter better known as Prongs to their group of friends. James was their leader who was brave, funny, and loyal even if he could be slightly arrogant. Remus fondly remembered the gratitude he had felt toward James when he had suggested that he and the two other boys become Animagi, so the werewolf would not be alone on full moons. Grief swooped over Lupin like a deadly hawk on it's pray as he thought of his friend's premature death caused by one of their supposed "friends". Prongs was robbed of the joy of seeing his only son grow up, attend Hogwarts, and get his first girlfriend. James who bravely sacrificed his life to try and save his wife and son from the horrible fate he knew awaited them. He died a hero who contributed to stopping the Dark Lord in every witch and wizards' heart.

As Remus was looking over the see of Death Eaters he thought of Sirius Black or Padfoot. Sirius, although quite a prankster, was always willing to stick up for his friends and had his heart in the right place. He remembered when he first heard that Sirius had apparently betrayed James and Lily and blew up Peter Pettigrew. Lupin had been battling a slew of emotion; all of them rolling around inside him like the ocean during a storm. He had always had his doubts that Sirius Black had actually betrayed James and Lily Potter because the Sirius Black Remus knew was about as likely to deceive, let alone murder, his friends as it was to start raining pigs in London. But he had pushed his sneaking suspicions of doubt away because everyone knew Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper and Voldemort could not have found them unless the Secret-Keeper told where they were.

When he discovered that Sirius was innocent he had been overjoyed, but when he had heard the whole story he felt sad and anger surge through him. Not only had Peter Pettigrew betrayed James, one of his best friends since they were eleven, and his wife Lily but he had put Sirius Black, another one of his best friends, in Azkaban for twelve years for a crime Sirius would not dream of committing.

When he saw Sirius fall through The Veil he had felt the deepest sorrow and regret because they had never gotten the chance to make up for the lost twelve years of their friendship. At that point somewhere in his subconscious he had done the math. Already two Marauders down, which meant there were two to go.

Remus then thought of the last and worst Marauder – the bloody traitor Peter Pettigrew or Wormtail. All those years he had spent with the stout, cowardly, little boy and he had never imagined what his friend would become. Lupin thinks for the millionth time what went wrong with Pettigrew that he went to the dark side. Who would have thought he would murder one of his best friends? Sure Peter Pettigrew did not hold the wand that cast the killing curse at James Potter's heart but he might as well have. He wonders absent-mindedly whether there was something he and his two other friends could've done if they had known. But once again he reassures himself that James, Sirius, and him could have done nothing to stop Wormtail. When he had heard that Peter had died, he felt little remorse or depression. He should have known no one is shown mercy in Voldemort's world.

As Remus Lupin tried to prepare himself for the bloody battle that was before him, he felt anger and anguish bubble up inside him. It should not be this way! James, Sirius, and he should be sending their children off to Hogwarts together still laughing and joking even though they were fully grown men. One evil power-hungry wizard had crushed that happy dream. If he had not existed the biggest worry in all of their lives would have been providing for their families. Now Remus was not even sure he would live to see his son's first birthday. In fact he couldn't shake the terrible gut-feeling that the last Marauder would fall very soon. . . He was driven from his thoughts when he heard battle cries bellow him – the battle was about to begin. Lupin shook off his morbid feeling and defiantly threw back his shoulders as he strode down to find his wife and begin to fight for a better life for his dear son. No matter what happened tonight Remus Lupin was not going down without a fight.

**Well, that was it! Hope you liked it! Pretty please review and tell me if you find any grammatical errors. Thanks!**


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